Erzberger, Matthias (mätē`äs ĕrts`bĕrgər), 1875–1921, German public official. He was a leader of the left wing of the Catholic Center party in the Reichstag from 1903. Early in World War I, he supported an annexationist policy, but in 1917 he led the fight for the Reichstag peace resolution. He helped build the democratic coalition that pressed for more parliamentary government. He joined (Oct., 1918) the cabinet of Maximilian, prince of Baden Maximilian, prince of Baden (Max of Baden), 1867–1929, German statesman, last chancellor of imperial Germany. A liberal, he was made imperial chancellor at the end of World War I as Germany neared defeat.
..... Click the link for more information. and headed the German delegation that signed the armistice. A member of the first republican cabinet under Philipp Scheidemann, he pressed for acceptance of the Treaty of Versailles. When Scheidemann resigned (June, 1919) rather than sign the treaty, Erzberger joined the new cabinet as vice chancellor and finance minister. He introduced drastic reforms, centralizing tax collection and bringing all railroads under national control. His policies were opposed by conservatives and reactionaries, who also despised him for his signing of the humiliating 1918 armistice. When an old rival, former finance minister Karl Helfferich, ruthlessly attacked Erzberger in a pamphlet questioning his competence and veracity, Erzberger sued. When the court found some of the charges libelous but—probably unwarrantedly—sustained others, Erzberger resigned.

Bibliography

See K. Epstein, Matthias Erzberger and the Dilemma of German Democracy (1971).

Erzberger, Matthias

(born Sept. 20, 1875, Buttenhausen, Württemberg, Ger.—died Aug. 26, 1921, Black Forest, Baden) German politician. Elected to the Reichstag in 1903, he became the leader of the left wing of the Centre Party. During World War I he was involved in the Reichstag resolution proposing a negotiated peace with no territorial gains. He headed the German delegation that signed the Armistice, and he advocated acceptance of the Treaty of Versailles. In 1919–20 he served as vice-chancellor and finance minister. As a supporter of the republican-democratic system, he became the victim of a slander campaign from the extreme right. He resigned his ministry and was later assassinated by nationalist partisans.